Former Speaker Martin Romualdez at the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA — The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Tuesday allowed detained former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to attend his arraignment and pretrial hearing on Wednesday via videoconference from the Quezon City Jail-Male Dormitory in Payatas.
The court granted Romualdez's "Urgent Motion to Allow Attendance for Arraignment and Pre-trial via Videoconference," which was received by the court through email at 2:31 p.m. on Tuesday.
READ: Martin Romualdez transferred to QC jail in Payatas
The court ordered JSupt. Maria Lourdes Pacion, warden of the Quezon City Jail-Male Dormitory, to provide the necessary facilities, services and technical equipment for the videoconference.
It also directed its Division Clerk of Court to personally read the charges in the Information before Romualdez at the jail facility.
An assisting counsel for Romualdez and a member of the prosecution panel will be allowed to be physically present at the designated room in the jail during the hearing.
However, the rest of Romualdez's lawyers and the other prosecutors must attend the hearing inside the Sandiganbayan courtroom.
Romualdez was arrested last Monday, September 7, after the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant for the P7.4-billion plunder case filed by the Ombudsman. He was initially confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center before being transferred to UP-PGH on Saturday for an independent examination.
He was transferred from the UP-Philippine General Hospital to the Quezon City Jail on Monday after government doctors testified that he is clinically stable and does not require confinement.
READ: Romualdez in jail infirmary, needs medical supervision — BJMP
The former house speaker is currently staying at the infirmary ward, which according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla is not air-conditioned but has exhaust fans to allow air circulation.
Romualdez will remain in the infirmary for as long as his doctors deem medical supervision necessary.
Authorities said his eventual transfer to a regular cell will depend on their evaluation.